“This isn’t the loss of people, rather the loss of Congress,” Mamata Banerjee critiques Congress' loss, suggesting the need for INDIA alliance unity

“This isn’t the loss of people, rather the loss of Congress,” said West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee during an address in the state assembly on Monday. The Trinamool Congress Supremo harped on the fact that the INDIA Alliance had suggested a seat-sharing arrangement during the assembly elections. This comes after the grand old party's setback in the Hindi heartland—Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Rajasthan. Congress’s abysmal poll streak continues in Mizoram where despite contesting all 40 seats, the party only secured one seat. Congress’s only consolation is a win in Telangana.

“We always wanted seat sharing. This isn’t the loss of people, rather the loss of Congress. Bjp won because some votes were cut by INDIA parties or smaller parties. In coming days the INDIA Alliance will work together. BJP won one extra state. Congress won Telangana,” said the TMC Supremo highlighting the importance of a united course of action in the days leading up to the all important 2024 Lok-Sabha Election. "I still believe that if there is seat sharing (among parties in INDIA Alliance) the BJP will not return to power in 2024," added Mamata Banerjee emphasising that if there was seat sharing then BJP would not have won in all the three states.

In the recent assembly elections, Congress and the INDIA allies opted to contest independently. It has been noted that this strategy resulted in a vote split, ultimately favouring the BJP. In Madhya Pradesh, the Congress engaged in discussions with Akhilesh Yadav's party, but negotiations collapsed due to disagreements over seat-sharing. The talks of an alliance took a decisive turn when Kamal Nath, leading the Congress campaign, dismissed a media inquiry on the discussions with the remark, "choro Akhilesh vakhilesh," effectively putting an end to the possibility of an alliance.

Commenting on Congress’s loss in the three states, Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav stated that regional parties should take the lead in combating the BJP in regions where they have influence.